The Lost Boys

This is a post I have been meaning to do for a while. I came across this memorial to Harold an Earnest on Google Earth while looking for Pillboxes along the Thames. They are buried in Lower Basildon Berkshire. I went along to the church there to find the grave of Jethro Tull found this wonderful memorial nearby.

The memorial is one of the most Heartbreaking I have seen with the figures so haunting life like.

The words on their grave still stand clear as the day they were made

"To the dear memory of Harold and Ernest Edward the fondly cherished and only sons of Edward John and Priscilla Deverell of Church Farm Basildon who were drowned while bathing in a side branch of the Thames near home on the 26th of June 1886 aged 16 and 15 years"

They were lovely and pleasant in their lives and in death they were not divided.

I have walked along the Thames nearby and wondered where they had lost their lived.

Church farm is next door to the church and it must have been heartbreaking for their parents to look over and see their sons grave. Their spirits are together now and their lives a memory. RIP

Newtown Road

Newtown Road in Newbury was a cemetery I had heard about and noticed on the map while planing a trip along the Kennet and a nearby disused railway. On my way back through the town I had planed on taking in the cemetery but time did not permit this so over the Christmas Holidays I thought I would pay a visit and finish a part of another railway project of mine.
I found my way through Newbury to Newtown road and came to the cemetery. All the following photos were taken through the cemetery railings.

My first view of the cemetery taken through the railings along the road.

The cemetery lodge house now privately owned, either side are the entrance gates which I found padlocked shut. The notice said it was open from 10 till 3pm daily except Christmas Day, it was gone 10.30 an no sign of it being unlocked. Not to be deterred I set about recording what I could from outside the railings.

From one of the entrance gates you could see the footpaths through the cemetery.

 Walking to the South gate and the perimeter wall show the works access to the cemetery.

Looking North from the gate another footpath.

Walking back along the path you could see some beautiful memorials 

The whole cemetery looked well kept if not used any more.

One of the notices said maintenance had been carried out  on the trees  and some areas looked to have been heavily cleared of shrubbery.

Other parts looked like they were waiting the grass to be cut.

In the background the pollarded trees could be seen.

Near the chapel were more graves one with a kneeling angel.

The chapel looks like it could still be used.

Finally as I left I noticed a second war grave which I could get a photo of. My intension is to return for another visit in the near future and take some closeups of the wonderful monuments which can be seen.

Tommy Sopwith

As  a school boy I knew the name reading story's about the First World  War and the Sopwith Camel but never knew he lived near Kings Somborne. I had been taking photos of the church and noticed this huge stained glass window. The inscription to the left said "Twice his foresite saved this nation in time of danger" the name I recognized and I knew of the plane in the first war but what was the second time he saved the nation. It was not until I looked into it I found he Started the Hawker company with Harry Hawker which made the Hawker Hurricane that was a  part of the Battle of Britain it was one  of the planes which save the country.

The memorial window that piqued my interest

                          

   


The wording got me thinking as I knew the name but did not connect who to start with.                                                                                              

After reading this information on the window I found out where Tommy Sopwith was buried.







 

After a three mile walk to Little Somborne I found his grave at the east end of the old church there along side that of his wife.

Tommy Sopwith lived to 101 and on his 100th birthday the RAF did a military flypast over his home. He is buried in All Saints Churchyard beside his wife.
Tommy_Sopwith